Risking your health for clear skin?

Well, you got to do what you got to do; even if that means risking your health for clear skin. Now many people probably wouldn’t want to risk their health, but I was crazy enough to. Do you think you would try Accutane? I would be willing to bet you that you would if you had already tried all the prescription medicines for acne and none of them worked. But before you run off to the dermatologist to get some and have your acne cleared in a few weeks, you should know some stuff about this medicine.

For starters you have to sign an iPledge, which is a risk management plan to reduce the rate of fetal exposure. Also you need to understand that you have to take it for four to six months and your skin will get worse before it gets better. Another thing you have to be willing to commit to is getting a blood test once a month. The reason for this is because the medicine can destroy your liver. Here are a few other side effects: chapped lips; dry, itchy skin; mild nosebleeds; irritation of eyelids and eyes; joint and muscle pains; temporary hair thinning; rash; intestinal symptoms; urinary symptoms; headache; increased sensitivity to sunlight; decreased night vision; and depression or thoughts of suicide.

Now, my experience didn’t have all these side effects, but it definitely had a few. My skin got worse before it got better and I had insanely chapped lips. It seems like I would just put on Chap Stick and as soon as I would put it back in my purse I would need it again. It drove me nuts! Plus, other people would be like, “Ugh, your lips are really chapped, are you going to do something about that because it’s bothering me.” This side effect went on for the full six months. I also had a really bad reaction to the medicine in the beginning of the sixth month.

I remember I went to my friend’s house to work on a project. We were working and then I thought to myself, “Man, I don’t feel good at all.” So I went to the bathroom, looked at my stomach and there were thousands of red bumps all over it. Then, of course, I went and slept, thinking I would be better when I woke up. I woke up and there were even more bumps, only redder, brighter, and itchier. Now, being a person of the 21st century, there was only one thing to do…Google it! According to Google, I had the measles. My dad and I said, “Ok, sounds like that fits my situation, red bumps, headache, and fatigue.”

The next day it was even worse, so we scheduled a doctor’s appointment. Honestly, I cannot remember what the doctor said because I was asleep the whole time. The only thing I know is I ended up having to go to back to the doctor the next day, and they had to wheel me in in a wheel chair because I couldn’t walk. This time, it was time to take blood; which is not a good thing if you have tiny veins that move around. The nurse tried both arms a couple of times, poking and sticking, and pulling the needle out. While all this was going on, I felt like I was dying. But if I was going to die at least my skin would look good. Then they decided they had to take it out of my hand, but in order to do this I would have to sit up. The nurse, doctor, and my mom sat me up on a stool next to the bed. I remember them all standing around me, it was extremely hot and I felt like I was going to get sick everywhere. The nurse asked if I was going to be sick, but I couldn’t even speak. I just nodded my head up and down very slowly. Everyone said, “look at the clock, just look at the clock,” so I did then my vision went fuzzy, and I couldn’t see anything. Then BAM! I passed out. I woke up crying, wondering what happened, but I guess I wasn’t to concerned because I just went back to sleep.

Well the next step to curing this weird rash was to go to the hospital. I was in there for a couple of days, the only medicine they could give me was Benadryl to make the bumps stop itching. That worked pretty good, until the i.v. ran out! Oh geez, that was bad, the itch just wouldn’t go away and it got a lot worse. But they got me some more medicine and it was better.

Eventually the rash went away and I was able to walk again. I was really scared during the experience and I was afraid that I was going to die, but as I look at the results now I would definitely do it. Nothing is better than having clear skin to me.